Acetylmethyl-salicylate for pain relief



United States Patent 3,119,739 ACETYLMETHYL-SALICYLAIE FOR PAIN RELIEFWanda L. Campbell, 123 Jackson Blvd, Terre Haute, Ind.

No Drawing. Filed May 3, 1961, Ser. No. 107,318 1 Claim. (Cl. 167-58) Myinvention relates to a new method for the alleviation of surface pain inthe form of itching, hives, rashes and bites and stings of insects, andmore particularly, it relates to the alleviation of such forms of painby the application to the affected areas of the body compositionscomprising as an essential active ingredient acetyl methyl salicylate.

Pain occurs in many different forms and degrees as well as in differentparts of the body and accordingly many dilferent types of agents arerequired for the alleviation of these different kinds and forms of pain.My invention is concerned with the alleviation of different forms ofpain which normally occur on the surface of the human body in the formof hives, rashes and the like, or by the bites or stings of insects suchas bees, ants, wasps, chiggers and the like, which are usually followedby pain in the form of intense itching and the formation of welts. Theapplication of my new anodyne agent to surfaces so aifected rapidly andusually completely eliminates such forms of pain. It should however, inno sense be regarded as a curative agent for the basic cause of thepain.

The essential active ingredient of my new anodyne agent is acetyl methylsalicylate used preferably in the form of a l-20% by weight solution orsuspension thereof in a suitable inert pharmaceutical carrier. The inertcarrier for the acetyl methyl salicylate can be varied somewhatdepending upon the preferred method and form of application, as well asthe concentration of the active ingredient and can be employedsatisfactorily in either lotion or ointment form. In general, I can useas the inert carrier any agents customarily used in making lotions orointments suitable for application to the human skin and which are atthe same time inert to the actyl methyl salicylate, that is, which donot react with or decompose the :actyl methyl salicylate under theconditions of manufacture, storage and use of the anodyne composition.Agents which are also solvents for the acetyl methyl salicylate to thedegree required are preferred but suspensions or emulsions of the actylmethyl salicylate can be satisfactorily used. When used in such forms,however, the acetyl methyl salicylate is preferably employed in finelydivided form. Suitable inert solvent carriers for the actyl methylsalicylate include ethanol, isopropanol, and polyethylene glycols.

With the active agent of my new anodyne composition, acetyl methylsalicylate, I can also use other ingredients to aid and supplement theeffect of the acetyl methyl salicylate, so long as such addedingredients meet the same definition for inertness set forth above. Suchingredients include perfumes to improve the odor of the composition,lanolin to prevent the drying of the skin on which the composition isused, emulsifying and suspending agents if a non-solvent for the acetylmethyl salicylate is employed, agents such as oils and waxes to givebody to the composition when used in ointment form, as well as otheringredients well-known to those skilled in the art.

The following specific examples will illustrate the com position andmethod of producing my new anodyne composition but it is distinctlyunderstood that I am not limited either to the specific methods ofmanufacture set forth therein or to the specific ingredients used inthese specific examples which are given merely to illustrate theproduction of my new anodyne compositions containing acetyl methylsalicylate using any of the customary methods of making either lotionsor ointments.

Example I An ointment was prepared by thoroughly mixing 20 g. of acetylmethyl salicylate with g. of either Carbowax 1500 or Carbowax 1540(polyethylene glycols made by Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corporation).

The resulting composition was in the form of a semihard ointment whichcould be easily spread upon the affected surfaces of the skin.

Example II A lotion containing acetyl methyl salicylate was prepared insuitable form for application to the skin as follows:

A mixture of 9 g. lanolin, 50 g. stearic acid and 10 g. acetyl methylsalicylate was prepared and heated to 70 C. A second mixture consistingof l g. 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, 18 g. propylene glycol and 120g. of water was prepared, heated to 70 C. and then thoroughly mixed withthe previously prepared and heated mixture of lanolin, stearic acid andacetyl methyl salicylate.

Example III Another suitable form of lotion was prepared as follows:

A mixture of 45 g. stearic acid, 12 g. white oil, 20 g. lanolin and g.amino methyl salicylate was prepared and heated to 70 C. To this wasthen added a similarly prepared mixture of 15 g. 2-arnino-2-methyl-l,3-propanediol, 100 g. glycerine, 150 g. specially denatured B.A. alcohol,and 1,150 g. of water, this mixture being similarly heated to 70 C.before the mixing. To the resulting mixture was then added a mixture of5 g. Kraystay (a specially purified extract of carrageen or Irish moss)and 500 g. water. This mixture was then added to the mixture ofingredients prepared as above described and gave a highly satisfactoryform of lotion.

Example IV My new anodyne composition in a vanishing cream ointment basewas prepared as follows:

A mixture of 9 g. of lanolin, 50 g. stearic acid and 10 g. acetyl methylsalicylate was first prepared and heated to 70 C. A second mixtureconsisting of 1 g. :amino methyl propanediol, 18 g. propylene glycol, g.water and perfume as desired was prepared and similarly heated to 70 C.The two mixtures were then thoroughly mixed with agitation and stirreduntil cold.

My new anodyne composition in each of the forms illustrated above hasbeen found to be effective in giving immediate relief of the irritationcaused by chigger biting and in most cases, no severe hemorrhagicdevelopment from the bites. It has likewise been effective in stoppingthe swelling and pain of wasp stings and mosquito bites. The applicationof the anodyne agent in ointment form has been found to be particularlyeffective in stopping the 3 itching and blistering of the arms and facecaused by allergies resulting from wheat, grasses, etc.

Now having described my invention, what I claim as new and novel is:

A method for the alleviation of pain occuring on the surface of thehuman body and resulting from the bites and stings of insects and fromhives and rashes, which comprises applying to the affected areascompositions containing as the essential active ingredient from 1 to 20%by weight of acetyl methyl salicylate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,951,737 Nitardy Mar. 20, 1934 4 OTHER REFERENCES

